§ 124.64 Appeals of variances.

(a) When a State issues a permit on which EPA has made a variance decision, separate appeals of the State permit and of the EPA variance decision are possible. If the owner or operator is challenging the same issues in both proceedings, the Regional Administrator will decide, in consultation with State officials, which case will be heard first. (b) Variance decisions made by EPA may be appealed under the provisions of § 124.19. (c) Stays for section 301(g) variances. If an appeal is filed under § 124.19 of a variance requested under CWA section 301(g), any otherwise applicable standards and limitations under CWA section 301 shall not be stayed unless: (1) In the judgment of the Regional Administrator, the stay or the variance sought will not result in the discharge of pollutants in quantities which may reasonably be anticipated to pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment because of bioaccumulation, persistency in the environment, acute toxicity, chronic toxicity, or synergistic propensities; and (2) In the judgment of the Regional Administrator, there is a substantial likelihood that the discharger will succeed on the merits of its appeal; and (3) The discharger files a bond or other appropriate security which is required by the Regional Administrator to assure timely compliance with the requirements from which a variance is sought in the event that the appeal is unsuccessful. (d) Stays for variances other than section 301(g) variances are governed by §§ 124.16 and 124.60.